Grüße und Vorstellung » Eagles training camp position preview: Safety

." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesBleeding Green Nation homepageHorizontal - WhiteBleeding Green Nationa Philadelphia Eagles communityFollow Bleeding Green Nation online:Follow Bleeding Green Nation on TwitterFollow Bleeding Green Nation on FacebookLog in or sign upLog InSign UpSite searchSearchSearchBleeding Green Nation main menuFanpostsFanshotsEaglesOddsAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 321 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Eagles StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Eagles NewsYahoo Eagles Team PageYahoo Eagles ReportYahoo Eagles Depth ChartYahoo Eagles TransactionsYahoo Eagles PhotosOdds About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub ✕Closer look at the Eagles’ safety situation heading into 2019New Chance Warmack Jerseys Stitched ,43commentsEagles training camp position preview: Safety.EDTShare this storyShare this on FacebookShare this on TwitterShareAll sharing optionsShareAll sharing options for:Closer look at the Eagles’ safety situation heading into 2019TwitterFacebookRedditPocketFlipboardEmailPhoto by Mitchell Leff/Getty ImagesPhiladelphia Eagles training camp is almost here. Players report to the NovaCare Complex on Wednesday, July 24. As we count down the days together, Bleeding Green Nation will be previewing every position on the Eagles roster. We continue today by taking a look at the safety position. Previously: Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | Offensive line | Defensive end | Defensive tackle | Linebacker | Cornerback.<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="hqTFnK">The playersMALCOLM JENKINSThe big thing to watch with Jenkins is how the Eagles handle his contract situation.After skipping voluntary spring workouts for the first time in his career, Jenkins showed up to mandatory minicamp and told reporters: Jenkins noted at the time that negotiations with the Eagles were “ongoing.” There’s since been no word of any progress on a new deal. We’ll see if that changes as camp draws closer. The Eagles could be hesitant to give more money to Jenkins because they’re worried about a decline in performance. Jenkins turns 32 this season and he’s logged nearly 10,000 total snaps since entering the league in 2009. That’s about 1,000 per year, which is a lot of wear and tear on one’s body. At the same time, what kind of message does it send when the Eagles aren’t willing to reward an extremely durable and versatile team captain who played a big part in the team winning a championship? If you’re the Eagles, don’t you want Jenkins to be who other players model themselves after? The feeling here is the Eagles need to do what it takes to make Jenkins happy. He’s critical to their success. And it doesn’t seem crazy to bet on Jenkins aging relatively well considering that he takes very good care of his body. For 2019, Jenkins should resume his role as a versatile defender for Jim Schwartz to work with. A look back at his 2018 snap count:RODNEY MCLEODMcLeod is coming off a season-ending knee injury he suffered back in September 2018. The 29-year-old is optimistic about his chances of playing in Week 1. McLeod did warm up with the team during spring practices and also participated in some position drills, so that seems like a positive development.As is the case with any player coming off an ACL tear, it’ll be interesting to see just how effective McLeod will be this year. He was playing well prior to his injury last season. He has a lot of financial motivation to pick up where he left off considering he’ll be a free agent after 2019.The Eagles should at least be able to count on McLeod being a solid starting free safety. Hopefully he can stay healthy this year. ANDREW SENDEJOShortly after the Eagles signed him in March, fans were quick to remember Sendejo as the Vikings defender that LeGarrette Blount bowled over in the 2018 NFC Championship Game (38-7).Once an enemy, Sendejo could now potentially be a significant contributor to the Eagles’ defense. The 31-year-old took took all of his snaps at first team safety in the spring with Jenkins and McLeod missing. Even when Jenkins returned, it was still Sendejo out there on the back end of the defense. And he didn’t look bad out there.Sendejo is looking like the favorite to replace Corey Graham as the Eagles’ third safety. Schwartz has already referred to him as “Dejo” (pronounced: Day-ho) so #NicknameAnalytics are working in his favor.Though he has a reputation as a physical box safety, Sendejo has actually lined up much more often as a free safety dating back to when he first became a full-time starter in 2013. TRE SULLIVANSullivan, a 2017 undrafted rookie free agent signing, is back for another summer with the Eagles. He took all the first team safety reps next to Sendejo during OTAs when both Jenkins and McLeod were missing. Then Sullivan headed back to the second team once Jenkins returned for minicamp. Sullivan was seeing some significant playing time down the stretch as a third safety in 2018 when the Eagles were down to starting Jenkins and Graham. He should compete for a third or fourth spot on the team this year but there’s no guarantee he makes the roster. Sullivan could really use a strong summer to make his case. BLAKE COUNTESSThe Eagles were able to reacquire their 2016 sixth-round pick when the Rams waived him in a cost-cutting move back in May. Shortly after claiming him, Philadelphia signed Countess to an extension. Countess, 25, figures to be a backup safety and key special teams contributor for the Eagles. He’s essentially the new and improved version of Chris Maragos. DEIONDRE’ HALLAfter trading a seventh-round pick to the Bears to get him Youth Chris Maragos Jerseys , Hall barely played for the Eagles in 2018. Kind of a weird pickup.Hall actually saw some first team reps as a third safety during spring drills with Jenkins and McLeod missing. He had a couple plays on the ball that stood out. Hall seems to be on the outside looking in when it comes to the roster picture. He’ll have to stand out this summer in order to beat out the likes of Sullivan and/or Countess. TRAE ELSTONElston, briefly a member of the 2017 Eagles, was brought back to Philly last month. He’s probably just a camp body. But then again, his presence on the roster could be key to winning a championship.Number of seasons the Eagles won a Super Bowl without Trae Elston on their roster: 0Number of seasons the Eagles won a Super Bowl with Trae Elston on their roster: 1You can’t argue with math, folks. GODWIN IGWEBUIKEIgwebuike picked off his former college teammate Clayton Thorson on the final play of the Eagles’ first minicamp practice. This is probably the most interesting thing I’ll be able to write about Igwebuike this summer. Camp body.How will it play out?Jenkins will continue to spend a majority of his playing time as a box safety while McLeod resumes his role as a starting free safety. Sendejo could get playing time in big nickel packages (the old Corey Graham role). Sullivan, Countess, and Hall are primarily competing for fourth and/or fifth safety spots. Countess’ special teams ability should help his chances of making the team in some capacity. The Eagles have some injury, age, and contract issues at safety. Things could play out poorly if McLeod isn’t 100% and Jenkins starts to feel the effects of playing so many snaps. On the flip side, the Eagles could end up having a good pair of starting safety with Sendejo working in as a capable role player. Overall, I think the Eagles should be OK at safety. Who could be a surprise cut?COMPENSATORY PICK TRIGGER ALERT: If you don’t comp pick talk, well, this isn’t the section for you! It’ll be interesting to see how the Eagles handle Sendejo in light of comp pick considerations. As it currently stands, Sendejo’s roster presence (or L.J. Fort’s, depending on how you look at it) means the Eagles are currently not projected to receive a 2020 fourth-round compensatory pick they’d otherwise get for losing Jordan Hicks in free agency. The Eagles can get this pick back by waiving Sendejo prior to Week 10. So, maybe the team keeps the veteran safety around and sees how things go before making a decision on him. If Sendejo’s serving as a valuable contributor to the team, they could just keep him around and lose the pick. If he’s playing awful, though, they can cut him to save the pick. Of course, keeping Sendejo beyond Week 1 means his 2019 salary is fully guaranteed. Otherwise, cutting Sendejo before Week 1 would allow the Eagles to save $800 Chris Maragos Jerseys Stitched ,000 in cap space with $500,000 in dead money.Another thing to consider is the Eagles could trade Sendejo if some team gets desperate for safety help. As I previously wrote about with Fort, trading Sendejo for even just a seventh-round pick would actually be like trading him for a fourth-round comp pick in addition to the seventh. Not to mention the trade would save the Eagles $1.03 million in cap space compared to just $270,000 in dead money. Ultimately, I think Sendejo will stick around on the 53-man roster. I think the coaching staff will want him around. But the front office must consider the draft pick and salary cap implications of keeping Sendejo. Here’s we what learned today." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesBleeding Green Nation homepageHorizontal - WhiteBleeding Green Nationa Philadelphia Eagles communityFollow Bleeding Green Nation online:Follow Bleeding Green Nation on TwitterFollow Bleeding Green Nation on FacebookLog in or sign upLog InSign UpSite searchSearchSearchBleeding Green Nation main menuFanpostsFanshotsEaglesOddsAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 321 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Eagles StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Eagles NewsYahoo Eagles Team PageYahoo Eagles ReportYahoo Eagles Depth ChartYahoo Eagles TransactionsYahoo Eagles PhotosOdds About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub ✕15 observations from Eagles training camp practiceNew,70commentsHere’s we what learned today.EDTToday marked the sixth 2019 Philadelphia Eagles training camp practice. It was a lighter day since it was a 10-10-10 session. Read on to see what I observed! PRACTICE NOTES• CARSON WENTZ UPDATE: The first team didn’t get as much work as they would in a standard practice so today was a bit of a break for Wentz’s arm. Wentz did connect with Alshon Jeffery a couple times, which is encouraging. Wentz threw a touchdown pass to Jeffery in the front right corner of the end zone during red zone drills. Wentz hit Jeffery again in stride over the middle for a 35-plus yard gain. Improved timing between those two. Nelson Agholor dropped what would’ve been an impressive diving catch on a Wentz pass. • EAGLES INJURY UPDATE: The Eagles gave Jason Kelce, who turns 32 in November, a rest day. Same for the 37-year-old Jason Peters. Mack Hollins and Paul Worrilow missed another practice. • Andre Dillard took first team left tackle reps with Peters resting. He looked good. Dillard showed explosive quickness out of his stance to stifle Josh Sweat. • Kelce’s absence meant Isaac Seumalo took first team center reps with Stefen Wisniewski filling in at left guard. It goes without saying that an interior trio of Wis, Seumalo, and Halapoulivaati Vaitai is a significant drop off from Seumalo, Kelce, and Brandon Brooks.• Joshua Perkins, Tre Sullivan, L.J. Fort, and Andrew Sendejo and are roster bubble players who notably line up on the first team special teams coverage/return units. Perkins making the team as a fourth tight end makes some sense if the Eagles are truly going to be running a lot of 12 personnel (two tight ends) ... and maybe even some 13 personnel (three tight ends).Sullivan took first team reps as the third safety with the Eagles often utilizing their big nickel package today. Sullivan was playing on the back end of the defense with Malcolm Jenkins and Sendejo both in the box. Avonte Maddox and Rasul Douglas were the outside cornerbacks in this situation so that left Sidney Jones on the sideline. Keeping both Fort and Sendejo on the roster past Week 10 means the Eagles won’t receive a 2020 fourth-round compensatory pick for losing Jordan Hicks. (It could also mean they won’t get a 2020 fourth-round comp pick for losing Golden Tate if Jordan Matthews gets cut by the 49ers before Week 10.) It’s looking like the Eagles might bite that bullet and just keep the veteran players on the roster. Doug Pederson recently had some praise for Sendejo:• Matt Pryor, who usually lines up as the second team right guard, took some left tackle reps given that Dillard was with the starters. I also noticed the Eagles’ 2018 sixth-round pick was on the first team field goal protection unit. I lean towards Pryor being on the 53-man roster. • I’ve often described Nate Sudfeld’s offseason as “up and down.” Today was more up than down. Sudfeld connected with Zach Ertz, Dallas Goedert, and Richard Rodgers for red zone touchdowns. He also threaded a tight window back shoulder throw to Marken Michel along the back of the end zone. (The defense claimed Michel was out but some offensive players disagreed. Regardless, it was a legit throw.) Even going back to last summer Youth Andrew Sendejo Jerseys , I feel like the red zone is an area where Studfeld plays well. He makes good decisions and throws an accurate ball. • Another day, another Rasul Douglas highlight. Today he tipped a Sudfeld pass into the air and it got picked off by Sullivan. Suuuuul just has a knack for making plays on the ball. And for a new twist: Douglas took some third team reps as a nickel corner. Prior to this offseason, the Eagles never had him lining up there. Jim Schwartz talked about this a little on Tuesday:So, the Douglas nickel reps are more injury-related than anything, but can’t hurt to get some more experience there.• Instead of going from Sudfeld to Clayton Thorson — the standard progression from No. 2 quarterback to No. 3 quarterback — the Eagles went from Sudfeld to Cody Kessler in some team drills. And even when Thorson got in, the Eagles did not throw a ton. • A leaping Kamu Grugier-Hill knocked down a Kessler screen pass. Kamu makes plays. • Shelton Gibson dropped a catchable pass for the third day in a row. He also failed to get open deep against Maddox, who covered him well, on one rep.• JJ Arcega-Whiteside saw some first team action in red zone drills. He didn’t do much with his opportunity, though. JJ also struggled to block Josh Adams during a special teams drill, which led to him getting some feedback from an Eagles assistant. When the roles were reversed, Adams did a good job of blocking JJ. • Eagles cornerbacks Jeremiah McKinnon and Josh Hawkins both had decent springs and they’ve made some plays in camp as well. Hawkins broke up a Sudfeld red zone pass meant for Dallas Goedert. Rarely does Goedert not come down with the ball when it’s thrown his way. McKinnon, meanwhile, followed a good showing on Tuesday by breaking up a pass intended for Greg Ward. Not sure if either player makes the team but it doesn’t hurt that they’re looking good while the Eagles are banged up at corner. • No issues with Jake Elliott. The Eagles’ kicker has been pretty accurate all offseason long. Elliott only missed one try today and he drilled his longest attempt of 52 yards. • Brandon Graham led the pre-practice team huddle. As some Eagles defensive backs were approaching the huddle in the middle of the end zone, they were jumping and pretending to alley oop a ball to each other before Avonte Maddox ultimately threw down a reverse dunk to finish it off. Then they celebrated. I’ve written it before but just another reminder that the Eagles’ defensive back room is an energetic, fun-loving group. UP NEXT: The Eagles will have their longest practice of the summer tomorrow, Thursday, August 1. Start time is 9:15 AM and end time isn’t until 11:55 AM. Stay tuned to BGN for more coverage, as always.